Hong Kong Fintech Week x StartmeupHK 2026, organised by the Financial Services and the Treasury Bureau, the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, and Invest Hong Kong, among others, is being held at the Wan Chai Convention and Exhibition Centre for five consecutive days starting today (Nov. 2). In his opening speech, Chief Executive John Lee said that technology is currently developing at an astonishing pace, artificial intelligence is transforming every industry, and new models of investment, innovation, and trade are rapidly emerging. In the face of a rapidly changing environment, certainty has become increasingly important.
Lee said that to align with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, the SAR government recently released its first five-year plan, which clearly sets out the development direction and leverages Hong Kong's strengths so as to better integrate into and serve the overall national development. The first five-year plan consolidates and enhances Hong Kong's status as an international financial, shipping, and trade centre, builds Hong Kong into an international innovation and technology centre, and creates a highland for top-tier international talent.
Lee stressed that the first five-year plan is not merely a policy document — it also sets out the government's vision for entrepreneurs, investors, and innovators, helping them seize the many opportunities arising from Hong Kong, the country, and global development. The Northern Metropolis is one of the key elements, covering 30,000 hectares and, once fully developed, expected to accommodate about 2.5 million people, leading Hong Kong to create a dual-core layout of southern finance and northern innovation and technology. The Northern Metropolis will take university towns as its main development thread. The campus areas of the three university towns in San Tin, Hung Shui Kiu, and Ta Kwu Ling cover a total area of about 300 hectares, and together with the surrounding technology zones, industry zones, and residential communities, the total planned area of the three university towns exceeds 1,000 hectares.
Lee believes that beyond capital, enterprises are also seeking a more open and progressive financial environment, as well as connections, cooperation, and exchange with talent, so as to compete globally. Hong Kong is Asia's world city and the world's fintech capital, attracting more than 1,400 fintech companies to set up operations, while HKEX has one of the world's leading IPO markets. He mentioned his visits to ASEAN, the Middle East, and Central Asian countries, noting that Hong Kong's unique advantages under one country, two systems have led all parties to recognise its rule of law, intellectual property protection, and international standards, and to see Hong Kong as a trustworthy partner.
Hong Kong Fintech Week x StartmeupHK 2026, themed Fintech Hub: Connecting the World, Building the Future Together, attracts more than 45,000 participants from over 120 economies, more than 1,000 speakers, over 800 exhibitors and start-ups, and more than 30 delegations from the Chinese mainland and overseas markets.
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